www.bbe-moldaenke.

de

Fast & simple measurement

of living cells in water

An easy-to-operate field instrument

Direct measurement
for checking ballast water without preparation
 An instrument for the measurement of living An instrument for …
algae cells in a water sample
the measurement of living
algae cells
Ballast water is essential for the stability and manoeuvrability of
ships cruising the seas. Marine plants, algae, animals, and compliance with IMO D-2
microbes cross the oceans in the ships’ ballast water. Discharged regulations
at the port of destination, these organisms are released into a
different environment. Here they act as invaders which can measurements without
seriously disrupt the indigenous ecology with negative chemical pre-treatment
consequences for the economy.
quick indicative analysis
Regulations regarding ballast water discharge were implemented
deployment on ships, in
by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in September harbors
2017 (IMO Regulation D-2). The US Coast Guard issued similar
ballast water discharge regulations in 2012 (33 CFR Part 151, mobile and easy use in the
Subparts C and D). According to both sets of regulations, all ships field or in the lab
operating in international waters must install a certified ballast
water treatment system. Within the size class of organisms from
10 µm up to 50 µm, the D-2 standard and USCG regulation require
vessels to discharge less than 10 living organisms per ml.

Verifying compliance with these standards requires suitable and

practical instrumentation. The challenge lies in detecting a very
low number of organisms in a large volume of water.

The largest amount of biomass (> 80%) in ballast water consists of

phytoplankton – especially microalgae. Therefore, algae are an
ideal parameter for ballast water quality control. An algae
measurement will serve as an indirect test of a representative
sample and is accepted by the IMO as an indicative analysis of
ballast water.
Filter strip with sample water is
analysed within just a few seconds
bbe Moldaenke GmbH is a leading manufacturer of algae
measuring devices. With decades of experience in this field, bbe is
proud to introduce the development of the ultrasensitive 10cells
method. The bbe 10cells is a light-weight field instrument for the
quantification of living cells in ballast water before and after any
ballast water treatment.

Screenshot of measuring results

2 10cells | bbe moldaenke©

Suitable measures such as ballast water treatment have to Features
reduce the biomass in the transported water. The acceptable
threshold is 10 cells/ml or less. The verification of the
measures requires suitable and practical instrumentation. most sensitive device on
the market
The 10cells method has been verified by comparison
measurements with different laboratory methods, for detection limit of 1 living
example by the independent BWMS-certifier NIOZ: cell/ml

measuring time less than 1

minute

robust and easy handling

4.3" TFT screen

mobile use - powered with

internal batteries

This graph shows the clear relationship between the microscopic count
and the 10cells measurement (culture: Thalassiosira weissflogii)

The measurement is based on the natural fluorescence of

algal cells. This fluorescence reflects the functionality and the
health of the algal cell. With this method, a modified PAM* Accessories for the preparation of the
measurement
excitation, a remarkable resolution of 1 living cell per ml
could be achieved, which allows the compliance with the IMO
D-2 standard of 10 cells/ml to be reliably determined.

After the quick filtration of a 10 ml volume with a syringe the

measurement of the algae on the filter takes less than one
minute. No further sample preparation is needed. Simply turn
it on, put the sample in, start the measurement and read the
result. A traffic light clearly indicates compliance or non-
compliance. The instrument is designed for harsh conditions
on board or in the field.

* PAM = pulse amplified modulation

The 10cells comes in a robust case,
perfect for the onboard operations

10cells | bbe moldaenke© 3

 Tested on a ballast water
analysis cruise (Meteor cruise
M116/2)

Linear over a large

concentration range
Specifications
Verified by microscopy
DESCRIPTION VALUE
Best equipment for the size
Measurands living algae cells/ml range between 10 µm and 50
Measuring range 1 – 20,000 cells/ml µm

Resolution 1 cell/ml Used by BWMS industry for

Weight 2.5 kg treatment optimisation

Dimensions (H x W x D) 25.8 x 24.3 x 11.7 cm Used for BWMS compliance

110/240 V – 50/60 Hz, certifications
Power supply
internal rechargeable batteries
Protection class IP65 closed, IP22 open Tested by port authorities
Interface USB
Storage temperature 5 – 55 °C
Environmental temperature 5 – 35 °C

Data capacity > 5 Mio. Data sets

The bbe 10 cells was verified in June 2015

on board the research vessel "Meteor"
during a voyage through the North Atlantic.

Do you have any questions? Please contact us!

Your local representative

bbe Moldaenke GmbH

Preetzer Chaussee 177 Tel.: +49 (0) 431 - 380 40-0
24222 Schwentinental Fax: +49 (0) 431 - 380 40-10
Germany E-Mail: bbe@bbe-moldaenke.de